SK Innovation, in collaboration with the Ulsan-based AI startup DEEP AI, has achieved a significant milestone with their jointly developed AI solution, earning a New Excellent Technology (NET) certification from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Announced on June 15, this marks the first government recognition in the field of automated industrial facility diagnostics.
The NET certification system, grounded in the Industrial Technology Innovation Promotion Act, is designed to officially recognize groundbreaking technologies that are either newly developed or significantly improved within the country. It requires a rigorous evaluation of originality, completeness, and applicability in industrial settings to facilitate commercialization and dissemination.
The AI solution, designed for non-destructive testing of heat exchangers, operates by using ultrasonic inspections. The AI analyzes the data for defect detection, achieving over 95% accuracy while significantly reducing analysis time by more than 90%. Traditionally, this process involved experts manually interpreting ultrasonic data, heavily relying on their experience, which limited speed and accuracy. Additionally, there has been a decline in the availability of such experts.
This newly certified solution combines SK Innovation's operational expertise and extensive data from its Ulsan Complex with DEEP AI's analytical capabilities. It was also supported by the 'Manufacturing Industry AI Convergence Initiative' led by Ulsan City and the Ulsan Information Industry Promotion Agency, showcasing a model of localized industrial AI ecosystem development.
Within the continuously operating oil and petrochemical processes, annual safety inspections and maintenance are crucial. Non-destructive ultrasonic inspections are widely used to diagnose defects in heat exchangers, which are essential temperature-controlling components comprised of thousands of tubes. At the SK Ulsan Complex alone, about 7,000 units are installed, with approximately 30,000 across the entire Ulsan Petrochemical Industrial Complex. Continuous operation and aging have led to frequent occurrences of tube cracks, corrosion, and wear, accounting for over 80% of overall failures, underscoring the necessity for regular checks.
Building on the NET certification, SK Innovation and DEEP AI plan to extend their reach beyond the refinery and petrochemical sectors into power, battery, steel industries, and the global facility diagnostics market. DEEP AI, with institutional backing from Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, also aims to venture into next-generation nuclear technologies, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
An SK Innovation representative emphasized the company's commitment to continuing technological innovation through AI and data collaboration with DEEP AI, enhancing safety and competitiveness in industrial settings, and contributing to the expansion of the industrial AI ecosystem.
